Isla Vista has been picked by U.S. census officials as the location for the one and only appearance in Santa Barbara County for the 2010 Census “Portrait of America Road Tour.”

The “Portrait of America Road Tour” van is scheduled to be set up in Isla Vista from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. April 9 on Pardall Road at Embarcadero Del Mar.

Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, Third District county Supervisor Doreen Farr, UCSB Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Michael Young and the Rev. John-Stephen Hedges of St. Athanasius Church are scheduled to help celebrate the tour’s appearance with an on-site ceremony at 4 p.m.

The “Portrait of America Road Tour” is part of the largest civic outreach and awareness campaign in U.S. history for the census, stopping and exhibiting at more than 800 events nationwide. From local parades and festivals to major sporting events, the tour is intended to help motivate Americans to complete and mail back the 10-question census forms that were mailed March 15-17.

Using 13 vehicles, 1,547 tour days and traveling more than 150,000 miles, the road tour is providing the public with an educational, engaging and interactive experience. Attendees have the opportunity to learn about the census and understand the benefits a complete count can bring to communities, and learn how the collected information is used.

Visitors also can contribute stories and photos to the “Portrait of America” project to explain why “I Count!” and view messages from other road tour participants. At the Isla Vista stop, there will also be free census goodies, prizes and surprises!

The public can follow the “Portrait of America Road Tour” on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr. Click here to follow the vehicles throughout the country on the interactive map on the census Web site.

An accurate count of all county residents is vital to ensuring that communities receive their full share of $400 billion a year in federal funding. This funding provides revenue for services such as schools, roads, hospitals and public safety.

— William Boyer is the communications director for Santa Barbara County.